Lives Intwined
by maniikuu
Summary: Sakura and her best friend Takashi were sent away to a foreign country by their parents. Now four years on life isn't so peachy, the streets are harsh and trying to make an ends meet is hard. With violence, drugs and other crimes skyrocketing how will they continue on while trying to solve the mysteries of the past, present and what is to come in the future.


**A/N**: I'm just testing the 'waters' with this idea I've had for a while, so read and leave me some feedback. It'll probably be confusing until I post another chapter but I just want to know if the idea interests any readers before I get going. I tend to delete stories once I post them if people don't like them -.- since I write for my own enjoyment, I don't know :) Let me know what you think.

Chapter 1: The confusing Prologue.

The streets were dim, cold and harsh. Buildings were run down and in terrible shape. Young people of different ages and backgrounds lined these streets. A part of town long forgotten by the rest of the city. It was an area where runaways, homeless and those just sucked into the wrong lane of life could be themselves. Nobody judged you out here, nobody cared about your past or what you did. There were the occasional fights between low rank gang members that would deal drugs, mostly territorial stuff. Nothing serious ever happened out here, it was the inner city, in the red-light district the real bad events occurred.

A teenage girl sat against a wall covered in graffiti, her knees pulled to her chest and a hood covering her face. Across the street from her a small rap battle was taking place, a faint smile grew on her face as she watched one of her friends compete. The words flowing gracefully and in a beat nobody could hear but play in their heads along with the smooth flow of words. It was surprising how well this friend rapped, considering for both of them English was a second language and they both only managed to learn it through other street kids. When they first arrived they both only knew the bare basics of English. Once the battle was finished she grinned as her friend ran across the street and joined her against the wall.

"Sup girly?" his face was always soft and friendly, like his tone of voice.

"Just thinking about that story you told me the other day" she chuckled "It was interesting how you made it into a rap"

"Oh Sakura you know me, stories are my way of life" he smiled his lopsided grin, but she'd never know if it reached his eyes, since they rarely opened.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a while as the night time settled in for good, the faint orange glow of the sun disappearing until the next morning. Tonight they'd have to sleep out in an abandoned building as the hostel was full up and most likely it'd be full for the rest of the week. Runaways were starting to become more common in this area with the rise of gangs and violence in the city. Families in debt were starting to look to gangs for help with bills, but that would then create another debt and the children would have to flee or be killed because of the parents stupidity. It was all too common out here to find a teenager on the run from gang violence.

"Takashi, do you ever wonder what it would be like if your parents came with you here?"

"Sometimes, but if it wasn't for this I would never have been able to learn English" he laughed though it seemed bitter-sweet for a moment "Stories have a lot more impact when told in English and the listeners can understand"

Sakura merely nodded in response and let her thoughts wander from her family back in Japan. It had been maybe four years or even more since herself and Takashi both came to Australia. They still didn't understand why they were sent here, her at the age of thirteen, Takashi at the age of fifteen and alone for that matter. Takashi had his theories but to Sakura they were nothing more then wild tales told by a best friend to comfort her. Looking around at the street they slept on most nights, she wondered briefly if it would be different with her father and brother here. Would they have a big house like they did in Tokyo, would they have a holiday home somewhere similar to the one they stayed in during the summer in the quiet town of Tomoeda. Would Takashi still be her next door neighbor if both their families came with them here to Australia. One thing Sakura was certain about was that if her family and Takashi's were here they wouldn't be living in the streets of the dodgiest city on the West Coast that was for sure.

Breathing in the thick air of the city air at night a variety of smells come to mind. Alcohol, cigarettes, trash and food. All the smells waft out from the city center, at first it was unpleasant but one becomes immune to it after a while. Then if you hang around for too long, you eventually become a part of the lifestyle. Fading into a blur of wrong choices and bad decisions. Sakura rummaged around in the pocket of her baggy hoodie, locating the items she was after she smiled. Placing the half crumpled smoke in her mouth she lit it with the lighter she stole from a two dollar shop.

"May I have a drag?" Takashi leaned over trying to inhale her smoke. Sakura could only picture he'd be giving her puppy eyes if he'd open them.

Taking a last puff she passed it over and leaned her head in between her knees. Her eyes were sore, her stomach ached from hunger and she was craving a hot shower. Looking out of the corner of her eye she watched Takashi fiddle with the strings on his hoodie, it wasn't as nice as it used to be. Sakura recalled the day they got these hoodies, it was a few weeks ago and for fun they went into the city centre to look around.

~~~~Flashback~~~~

"_Taka, wouldn't it be nice to have one of those jumpers?" Sakura grinned mischievously and pointed to a rack with adidas hoodies in all different colours. _

_Takashi followed her finger to the rack and his eyes were immediately set on the black one with a silver logo. It'd sure make the nights a lot easier to bare with a warm jumper, they'd had their bags stolen the week before and were now down to what they were wearing. If anything he at least had to get one for Sakura, she only had her tiny denim shorts and a shirt now. He at least had his track pants to keep him warm. The days may be hot, sometimes unbearably hot, it was the nights they got seriously cold.  
_

"_What do you say 'kashi?" she chuckled using another nickname she made up for him. _

"_On the count of three" he grinned and they made their way over. _

_Sakura hovered over a large black jumper with the logo in pink her favourite colour. Takashi had his hand on the one he'd been eyeing off earlier. _

"_Three" Sakura whispered._

"_Two" Takashi spoke a little louder_

"_GRAB AND RUN" they screamed before grabbing the jumpers and bolting like mad out of the shop. _

_It wasn't the first time they had done this and it wouldn't be the last. Splitting in different directions when the strip ended they began the game of cat and mouse with security. _

_~~~~End of Flashback~~~~  
_

Takashi caught his companion watching him and knew sooner or later she'd pick up that he was hiding something. Despite the fact she never once observed his body language, she rarely did it. Sucking in a breath he decided to spill the beans on what he'd been hiding from her all day.

"I got a job" he began "If all goes well this week, they promised me we would both be given somewhere to stay"

"What is the job?" Sakura asked curiously as she watched a group of teens fight over a bottle of something across the street.

"Dealing" he watched her carefully for a reaction, when she didn't respond he continued "For that gang, the China and Japan gang that recently moved into town"

"You aren't talking about that gang Elise was telling us about are you?" she raised an eyebrow at her long time friend.

"I am" Takashi averted his gaze to the floor "They promised to help us, since we are as the guy I spoke to put it 'one in the same'"

"Ok" Sakura remained silent for a while and Takashi couldn't help but wonder what was going through her head. "Let me help" her eyes shifted to him and he knew that look all to well. She was stubborn and determined most times. Sakura preferred to make her own way and not let people do things for her.

"Alright, but first shall we go find the others?" he got up off the ground and dusted himself off. "I hear Elise raided a liquor store today maybe we could have some fun" he shot his best friend a warm smile and waited for her to get up before heading off to where there street friends normally hung out.

~~~~Change scene~~~~

Not too far from the city center a plane arrived in the international airport, carrying passengers that had taken the late afternoon flight in from Hong Kong, China. A young female no older then eighteen searched around the terminal, a black leather satchel at her feet. Her deep chocolate eyes flitting back and forth. Long brown hair with glints of auburn swayed back and forth in time with her eyes. Spotting what she was after she grabbed her bag and headed out the glass doors.

"So I am in the right place" she smirked and continued on through the car park searching for the vehicle in which she held the keys for.

Spotting the old style camaro she smirked once again, they really did send her car over. How they got it over here so quick she may never know, nor did she care it was here that is all that matters. Getting in drivers seat and placing her bag on the passenger seat she pulled out the folder which was left in the console.

"It is Chiharu not Chihara, damn idiots can never get it right" she muttered as she skimmed over the details of her reason for being here.

Starting the engine and pulling out of the parking lot she headed for the city centre. Blasting her favourite tracks and speeding like a maniac. Glancing down at the sheet of paper in her lap she read the words next to the photo over and over.

'Assassinate Leuang Lin, leader of the newly formed gang The Panthers'

Chiharu was here on a mission and she never failed.

~~~~Change Scene~~~~

The next morning Sakura awoke in the usual style with a cricked neck and sore legs from sleeping upright against a wall. Shaking off the morning dew she crawled out of the abandoned building and headed out into the street. Shielding her eyes with her hand she spotted Takashi talking with a tall, broad man with dyed bright red hair. The man stood out not just for his hair but for the fact his clothes were clean and the variety of tattoos going up his arms were brightly coloured like his hair. Not wanting them to spot her she went back around the corner and leant against the building she had slept in. Sinking down to the gravel ground she absently picked up little stones and rolled them around in her fingers.

It wasn't a minute later when her acute hearing picked up movement from the fence at the end of the alley way she was sitting in. _Living in the streets sure has its advantages sometimes, _she thought to herself as she prepared for whoever or whatever it might be. Getting low on the ground she peered under the gap of the fence, seeing two pairs of biker style boots and noting they were semi clean. Sakura jumped back onto her feet and turned to walk out of the alley way. Whoever they were they were definitely trouble and not from around here. The type of people who hung around the abandoned buildings never had shoes that clean, it was all gravel, broken glass and trash. Nice shoes wouldn't last more then an hour walking around these streets.

Just before Sakura could reach the end of the alley her excellent hearing once again picked up movement this time the sound of two people leaping over the fence. Following her gut instinct she picked up her pace and turned out onto the street.

"Hey! She's getting away!" a male voice called out, realizing they were talking about her she did what anyone would do.

Sakura bolted, once again hearing they gave chase she pumped her legs harder. If there was one thing Sakura was good at it was running and she was fast. Takashi often made her do the shoplifting simply because of her uncanny talent to run faster then the speed of light. Peeking a look over her shoulder she froze realizing that there were two big men in gang wear chasing after her and they were fast. A lot faster then she would've given them credit for, especially for men their size.

_It's alright, I'll get away I have the advantage I know these streets very well and I'm guessing they don't. _With that thought she changed direction, heading down a street on the right and straight towards the abandoned warehouses. Spotting the warehouse with the door that was jammed shut she knew this one would slow them down. The roller door had a small hole in it, that she could only just fit through and if Takashi couldn't fit through these two sure as hell couldn't. When she was half a meter away, she dropped low to the ground and slid. Making a perfect slide through the hole and into the warehouse.

Inside it was pitch black, using her lighter she used it to navigate around the machinery long left behind. No matter how many times she came in here, it always freaked her out and normally she wouldn't be in here long. Only ever coming in here to annoy Takashi since he'd have to go around the back to get in the broken window. Outside she could hear the men talking, but couldn't make out what they were saying and occasionally they would try to ram down the roller door. With her lighter she managed to spot a seat, it was next to an old bench used most likely for soldering judging by the jig and oxyacetylene torch set-up. Taking a seat carefully, Sakura made sure to be quieter then a mouse and not make any movements.

Outside one of the men stared hard at his partner, who was also his brother and a good friend. Both were almost identical in appearance with black jeans, biker boots and dark navy shirts. On their arms were random tattoos in all designs and some were coloured. But the one that stood out the most on the men was the large panther head they both had on their hands. One on the left hand had its mouth open as if it were growling and the other on their right hands had eyes that were set in a hard glare.

"I don't even get why the boss has us chasing after some Asian runaway" one growled "To think Steve we used to be a part of the hardest gangs in Aus" he gave the roller door a hard slam with his boot causing it to rattle loudly.

"Yeah yeah you say this every time and then when we finish this shit up ya never complain spending the cash at the bar" the one name Steve shot back seemingly not that annoyed.

"I say we go 'round back and finish this off there'd be a way in for sure back there"

"Right then, let's go Nick, lead the way" both men moved to walk off and go around the back.

A figure moved out from around the side and headed to the back before they could get there. He was sure she wouldn't have heard them say they were going around the back. Despite seeing her abilities in evading them, he was more then impressed and wanted her for himself. There was no way he was going to let two big burly men from a gang get her first. With stealth he found the broken window and slid inside dropping into the warehouse with a thud. His sneakers making a loud skidding noise along the worn out concrete.

Sakura heard the noise and moved to make a run. She'd overheard the men chasing her say they were going around the back and so assuming it was them she bolted to the hole in the roller door once more. With expert speed and timing once again she was on the ground sliding. Greeting the sunlight with a small smile and the fact nobody was out there she made a run for it once more. This time she didn't go back the way she came in, instead she headed for a different street and once she rounded that corner Sakura was no longer to be seen. She had lost the men and the other man she didn't even know was after her too.

The other young male heard her leave the warehouse as soon as he got in and cursed his stupidity. She was right there and he let her get away. Pulling out his phone from his back jean pocket he pressed a few buttons before placing it to his ear.

"Li, I found her, you know the one I was talking about" he paused listening to the grunted response on the other end.

"I lost her, she wouldn't have gotten far but it appears The Panthers have interest in her too" listening to the response once more, he ended the call.

Climbing back out the window once he was certain the two men from the Panthers gang were gone, he headed down the street and began a long search for a girl he didn't even know if he'd spot again.

"Damn fool Hiirigizawa, you had her right there and lost her!" he grunted to himself and adjusted his glasses "Yelan is going to be furious if this was a waste of time"

**A/N:** Review and let me know if I should continue this. As mentioned previously I'm just testing the waters with this idea I've had for a while and if I get a good response I'll fix this chapter up a bit better. Then write up more chapters to explain things so it isn't as confusing? (: It probably is confusing. Apologies.


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